2021 Stanley Cup Final: 4 Takeaways from an absolute classic Game 4

3. McDonagh’s Underrated Brilliance

We won’t say too much here because we’re working on a separate story, but Ryan McDonagh is one of the most underrated and unsung defensemen in the National Hockey League. Period.

Acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning in a blockbuster trade with the New York Rangers at the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline, McDonagh has established himself as a key cog in this well-oiled machine and he’s been critical to their recent success.

A crucial part of their Stanley Cup success last year, McDonagh is playing a bigger role this season and he had a Game 4 for the ages, displaying all of the attributes and qualities that makes him so valuable to this Tampa Bay team.

He finished the night with one point, three hits and three blocked shots in 24:23 minutes of total ice time, including logging time on both the power play and on the penalty kill.

And there was one play that stood out in particular. In the second period with Tampa Bay trailing by a single goal, McDonagh pinched at the Canadiens blue line to intercept Jeff Petry‘s pass and keep the play alive.

That wasn’t all, however. McDonagh then charged the net and created space for Goodrow, grabbing the rebound after Carey Price had made a save on a Blake Coleman shot and dishing a sublime no-look, backhanded pass to Goodrow who had an open-net to make it a tied game.

It was the clutch pass of the postseason so far but the whole play by McDonagh was just a masterclass in how to jump into the play and join the rush as a defenseman, and it was yet another example of why he should get more consideration as a Norris Trophy contender.

McDonagh probably should be talked about in the Conn Smythe conversation too given that he now has seven assists in these Playoffs to go along with a plus / minus rating of +17 that leads all postseason skaters, and the fact that he has also assisted on three game-winning goals in this year’s Playoffs.

Overall, McDonagh, who has played more postseason games than anyone else since 2010 (161), continues to go under the radar as one of the most effective and dominant defensemen in the National Hockey League but, as we saw in Game 4, that shouldn’t be the case.

It is about time we give Ryan McDonagh the boatload of praise and credit he deserves.